Fluid-pressure brake.



W. V. TURNER.

FLUID PRESSURE BRAKE. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 22, 1904.

1,031,210. Patented July 2,1912.

INVENTOR UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

WALTER V'. TURNER, OF WILKINTSB URG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNQR TO THE WEST- INGHOUSE AIR BRAKE COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANiA, A CORPORA- TION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

FLUID-PRESSURE BRAKE.

Specification a Letters Patent.

Application filed November 22, 1904. Serial No. 233,875.

' To all whom itmay concern:

Be it known that 1, human V. TURNER, a citizen of the United States, residing in ilkinsburg, in the county ofjkllegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Fluid-Pressure Brakes, of which the fol-- lowing is a spt 'itication. p

This invention relates-to automatic fluitl pressure brakes for railway cars,- and has for its priln'ary object to provide'in addit on .to the usual automatic brake apparatus supplemental means for controlling the supply of fiuid to the brake cylinder, a'nd so connected up with the standard apparatus that the brakes may be controlled by either system.

The present standard automatic air brake equipment, as is well known, comprises a train pipe, auxiliaryreservoir, brakecylinder, and a triple valve device'operated by a reduction in train pipe'pressurefor-opening communication for the supply of air brake cylinder, it is necessary to provide some means for at'the same time closing the exhaust from the brake cylinder through the triple valve device and various additional valve devices for this purpose have heretofore been proposed.

According to the present invention I 'pro- .pose to secure the closing of the exhaust through the triple valve without the use of an additional valve mechanism, and broadly considered this feature of my improvement comprises means for varying the pressure on one side of the triple valve piston,,preferably by increasing, the pressure on the auxiliary reservoir side of the triple valve piston so as to move. .the valve to close the brake cylinder exhaust at the time that the supplemental apparatus is operated to supply air to'the brake cylinder.

Any means may be employedjor admitting air under pressure'to the triple valve piston for securing this'result, but accordlng to the preferred form air is admitted from' the main reservoirg'or' other source of pressure, directly into the auxiliary reservoir or triple valve chamber, whereby the rise in auxiliary reservoir pressure above that of the train pipe causes the'movement of the triple valve to close the brake cylinder exhaust and also to open ,the service port to the brakecylinder, whereupon the excess of air admitted to the auxiliary reservoirflows to the brake'cyl nder and the brakes may be applied to any'desired deree. lVhen this additional supply to the auxiliary reservoir is cut off the triplevalvc moves to lap in theusual way, thereby closing the admission port to the brake cylinder. By this means the brakes may be applied with the supplemental system without reducing or d'epletingthe pressure of the train pipe or of the auxiliary reservoir be,

low the standard degree 'hen the bra-kc is applied, itwill be evi' dent that the same could be released by then'reducing the auxiliaryreservoir pressure by means ofea valve of the 'supplemental apparatus, thereby causing the movement of the triple valve to release position, but- I prefer to employ a release valve com'iected-directly to the brake cylinder whereby the. pressure therein. may be reduced in "graduated amounts ortreleased .entirely at will, by the operation of the supplemental apparatus .and'without affecting the standard pressure of the auxiliarv reservo r or tram pipe".

.' \Yhile any desired form of'supplemental' brake apparatus may be employed for supplying air um'ler'pressure to the brake-cylinder, I contemplate the use of "an electr0 pneumatic system-having electrically "operated valve mechanism'with circuits and a switch within reaclrofthe motorman or engineer for controlling the same, and it is iviththis form of apparatus that I have illustrated my invention in the accompany-- Patented July 2, 1-912.

ing drawing. This type of equipment is also particularly adapted to be applied to electrically propelled cars operating on the multiple unit plan, in which cars may be run either singly, or two or more motor cars, with or .without trailer cars, may be coupled up in a train, the motors. of all the motor cars being controlled from any one of the cars.

In the'drawings: Figure 1 is a diagram showing an electro-pneumatic brake equip ment' constructed in accordance with my iii- Vention and pplied to a train of two cars, one being indicated as a motor car and the other as a trailer car; and Fig. 2 a view showing the triple valve device with the applieation and the release'magn'et valves in section.

In service of this character, each mdtor car of a train is provided with a main reservoir 1, motor-driven air compressor 2, pump governor' 3, maln reservoir pipe 4, motors' mans brake valve 5, usually one ateach end of the car, having the usual feed valve 6,

train pipe '7, triple valve 8, auxiliary reserreservoir pipe-of the adjacent cars for tl purpose of furnishing a source of air pressure upon these cars and for connecting up al ma n reservoirs of the motor cars in thetrain. In addition to this equipment I pro- 4ovifie-supplen1ental apparatus comprising an e ectric application valve 11 operated by 1 'ejfleetro-magnet 12 and ;controlling the supply or compressed air from the pipe 13 and the main. reservoir, main reservoir pipe. or other 5 'sourceof pressure, to the pipe 1-1 leading to the auxiliary reservoir side of the triple valve, pistori. This connection is,shown as leading directly intothe slide valve chamber ofthe tri )le valve device, but obviously may so be made at any other part of the auxiliary res'ervgilt if desired.

n e ectrlc release valve 15, operated by c-iectro-magnet 18, and havingexhaust port 1G, is connected by a pipel? with the brake cylinder at any convenient point, that shown being the brake cylinder passage in "the triple valve body or casing. The magnets 12 and 18 on each car are connected up with the respective circuit wires 19 and 20 running through the train, the current for operating the same beingsupplied from a battery 21. or other source of electricity. A switch having a movable arm 22 and contact points 23 and 24. may be used for controlling the respective circuits and the switch arm mav be operat'edeither separately 'or in connection with the handle of tliemotorma11 s brake valve, as illustrated iii thediagram.

On the motor cars the pipe It-E is preferably connected directly to the main reservoir, and a check valve 26 is located between the main reservoir and the main reservoir pipe line for the purpose of preventing back flow from the main reservoir pipe to the main reservoir when two or more motor cars are coupled up together in the train with their main reservoir pipes connected. By this means each air pump will supply its own reservoir and its share of the -main reservoir line, butno pump will be required to raise the pressure in the other main reservoirs.

construction comprising the piston chamber open tothe auxiliary reservoir and containingjmain slide valve, 29, graduating valve 31 controlling service-port 30, brake cylinder port or'passage 32, main exhaust cavity 33 connecting the brake cylinder passage with the exhaust port 34 when the valve is in its normal release position:

The operation of my improved apparatus is as follows: The brake valve at the head end of the first car being set in running position the'system is charged up in the'usual' way through the feed valve. the other brake valves being set in lap position, and all of the main reservoirs supplying air to the main reservoir pipe line and to the operating brake valve. 'An excess pressure should be, and usually is, carried in the main reservoir and main reservoir pipeline above that of the normal standard degree, as determined and auxiliary reservoirs ar charged. If the switch is operated by the same handle as the ,bralteyvalve, the arm 22 may be so positioned as to make contact with point' 21 when the brake valve is in runnin'gposition, and this will then also be the electricv release position, since the circuit is then .elosed from the battery 21, or source of current, through wire 20, thereby energizing magnets 18 of the electric release valves 15 and holding the same open.

In order to apply the brakes electrically, the switch arm 22 is turned to electric' application position, in which contact is made with point 23, thereby breaking the circuit to the release magnets 18, which permits the release valves 15 to close, and completing the circuit 19 to the application magnets '12, thereby causing the valves 11 to open communication from the main reservoir or main reservoir line to the auxiliary reservoir. Air from this sour'ce of higher pressure then flows to the auxiliary reservoir andraising the pressure therein and upon the triple valve piston above that or the train pipe, causes the triple valve piston and slide .valve 35, containing piston 27, valve chamber 28- by the feed valve, to which, the tra'in pipe The triple valve device may be of the usual 1 ing the service port 30 as the "auxiliary res-,

ervoir pressure falls to or slightly below that of the train pipe in the usual way. If desired, the brake cylinder pressure may be further increased by again-turnipg the switch to application.position and then back to lap.

. It will now be observed that the triple valve is in lap" position with both the train pipe andauxiliary reservoir charged to the normal'standarddegree of pressure. To release the brakes electrically, the switch is turned I to the first position again, making contact.

with point 2%, energizing thefmagnets lS-and opening release valves 15, whereupon the air from the brake cylinder is released throughexhaust port 16. If, instead offentirely releasing the brake, it is.desired to reduce the brake'cyli nder pressure'in ,egraduated amounts, the switch may be'turned to-electric release position momentarily and-then back; to lap several times 111 succession, or

as occasion requires. whereby the braking pressure may be graded down at will. Andall the time that the brakes'are being operated-by the-electric apparatus the train pipe and auxiliary reservoirs remain charged-to substantially the .normalmaximum degree.

'The brakes may be controlled pneum atieally at any tiine by the usual movement s-of the motor-mains brake valve for; varying the train-pipe pressure in the ordinary way, or automatically by a reduction in tra-in'pipe pressure, due to a break-in-two'or a bursted hose. or other accident, as will be fully'understood by all familiar with the art with- .out further description.

If, after the brakes have been applied by means of the electric application valves, the

air from the brake cylinder immediately dischat-91w to the atnmsphere through the exhflli i port of the triple valve. It will also be evident that after the brakes have been applied meumatieall v the brake cylinder pressure may be graded down or fully re- .leased by if desired. t

means of'the electric release valve,

By means of the-additionof-my improve.- ment to the standardapparatus, itwill now beapparent that a combined electric and automatic fluid pressure brake system is pro-l vided, whereby-the brakes may be applied and released either electrically or pneumati cally, ormay be applied electrically and released pneumatically,'or applied ppeumati cally and released electrically, thereby retaining all the advantageous features of the automatic system,'and also securing addi tional advantages of greater flexibility and simultaneous act-idn of'the supplemental or ,electrically operated system 'Having now described my inventibn, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is l 1. In a fluid pressure -bra'k e,-'the combina-' tion with 'atrain pipe, auxiliary,reservoir, brake cylinder; and atriple valve device comprising a piston and valve operated. by

variations in train pipe. pressure for'supplying air from the auxiliary reservoir'to the brake cylindeiyof alsupplemental means for. supplying air. to the brake cylinder'and for moving said triple piston and valveto close the brake cylinder exhaust.

2. In a fluid pressure brake, the combination with a train.pipe, auxiliary reservoir, triple valve and brake cylinder, of supple.- mental means adapted to operate independently of'the train pipe pressure .for supplyj ing-air to the brake cylinder a'nd for increas-- ing the pressure on the auxiliary reservoir sitle of the triple valve piston.-

3. In a fluid pressure brake, the combinm tion witha train pipe, auxiliary reseryoir, triple valve and brake cylinder,tit supple mental means for supplying air to the brake cylinder, and at the same time varying. the

pressure upon one side the triple valve piston to cause the same to close the brake cylinder exhaust.

4, 'In a fluid pressure brake, the combination with a train pipe, auxiliary reservoir,= triple valve and brake cylinder, of a source of fluid pressure and supplemental means having a valve normally "subject to the pressure of said source for supplying air to the auxiliary reservoir and through the triple valve to the brake cylinder.

5. In a fluid pressure brake, the combina tion with a train pipe, auxiliary reservoir, triple valve and brake cylinder, of supplemental means normally subject to fluid pressure above the normal standard degree of train pipe pressure for increasing the auxilmental means operhting independently of the train pipe pressure for controlling the supply of air to the auxiliary reservoir and brake cylinder, and its release from the brake eylinc 7. In a flit... -ressure hrake, the eomhinw tion with a tra pipe, auxiliary reservoir, triple valve and brake cylirnler, oi an elec trically operated valve mechanism for step plying air to the brake cylinder antl- {or varying the pressure upon one side of the triple valve piston to cause the same to close the brake cylinder exhaust.

S. In a tluicl presure brake, the c01nloination with a train pipe, auxiliary reservoir, triple valve and brake cylinder, of an electrically actuated valve mechanism for sup s.

plying ai from a source of highei. pressure to the auxiliary reservoir and through the triple valve to the brake cylinder.

9. In a fluicl pressure brake. the combination with a train pipe, auxiliary reservoir, triple valve and brake cylinder, of an electricallv actuated valve mechanism for supplying air from a source of higher pressure tothc auxiliary reservoir and through the triple valve to the brake cylinder, and for releasing the air from the brake cylinder.

10. In a fiuitl pressure brake, the combination with a train pipe, auxiliary reservoir, triple valve and brake cylinder, of an electrically actuated applic, tion valve for supplying air from a sou'rce of higher ne sure to the auxiliary reservoir, and an electrically actuated release valve for controlling the exhaust from the hralie cylinder.

11. In a fiuicl pressure brake, the combination with a main reservoir, brake valve, train pipe, auxiliary reservoir, triple valve and brake cylinder, of supplel'nental means for controlling coinnn';nicaticn from the.

main reservoir to the auxiliary reservoir ancl from the brake cylinder to the exhaust, independent of the triple valve.

12. In a fluid pressure brake, the een'ibina-- tion with a main reservoir, brali'e valve, train pipe, auxiliary reservoir, triple valv and brake cylinder. of an electricall ac tuated application valve for controlling com munication from the main reservoir to the 13. In a fluid pressure brake, the combine tion with a main reservoir, brake valve,

train pipe, auxiliary reservoir, triple valve and brake cylinder, of a main reservoir pipe line nipirinally charged with fluid at main reservoir pressure, anti supplemental valve mechanism for controlling communication from the main reservoir to the auxiliary reservoir.

14. In a fluid pressure brake, the combination with a main reservoir, brake valve, train pine, auxiliary reservoir, triple valve and brake cylinder, of a main reservoir pipe line, and an electrically actuated valve for controllingeonnnunicathm from the main reservoir to the auxiliary reservoir.

15. Ina fluid pressure brake, the eom oination with a main I'QSEIVOlI, brake valve, trainpipe, auxiliary reservoir and brake cylincler, of a. main reservoir pipe line, a n0n-return check valve located lietiveen the main reserveirand the main reservoir pipe line, and a supplemental valve mechanism for controlling einnniuniration :trexn the main reservoir to the auxiliary reservoir.

16. In atluitl pressure brake, the comliinm tion with atrain pipe, triple valve, auxiliary til) reservoir, and brake cylinder, of a source of fluid pr 'ure, anapplioation valve for supplying air from said source of fluid pressure to the brake cylinder, and an electric release valve for releasing air from the brake cylinder,

17. In a lluid pressure brake, the 'coinlnnzition ivitha train pipe and triple valve CQIII";

prising a valve and piston, of an electrically,

controlled valve't'or increasing the pressure on one sale of said piston to thereby supply air to the brake cylinder.v

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. 7

\VALIER V. TURNER.

llitn esses F. IGMERY, JAMES I3. lllAcDoNam, 

